1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved thermally actuatable electrical switch construction and to a method of making the same.
2. Prior Art Statement
It is known to provide a thermally actuatable electrical switch construction having a resilient contact member normally biased into electrical contact with a stationary contact member while a temperature sensitive member of the construction is in a solid condition and normally springing out of contact with the stationary contact member by the natural bias of the resilient contact member when the temperature sensitive member is rendered non-solid by sensing a temperature above a predetermined temperature.
For example, see the following item:
(1) U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,014--Wehl
It also presently appears that the following three items are effective references against this application and each illustrates and describes that the resilient contact member can comprise a hollow body carried by the insulated terminal and be radially expanded outwardly into electrical contact with the casing side wall by the solid temperature sensitive member and spring radially inwardly out of contact with that casing side wall when the temperature sensitive member is rendered non-solid.
(2) U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,724--McCaughna
(3) German Pat. No. b 2,837,827--Hara.
(4) U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,139--Hara.
It is also known to deform a resilient contact member out of contact with the casing side wall when the temperature sensitive member is rendered non-solid, the means for deforming the contact member comprising a cup-shaped insulating member containing the temperature sensitive member in the cup thereof and telescoping over the resilient contact member by a spring force acting on the closed end of the cup-shaped member when the temperature sensitive member is rendered non-solid.
For example, see the following two items:
(5) U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,215--Senor
(6) U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,960--Audette et al